Caramel Apple Ricotta Tart!

15 oz. ricotta
2 egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 T. maple syrup
4 T. heavy cream
2 t. olive oil
1/4 c. cornmeal
2 apples, diced
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream

Whisk together ricotta, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, maple syrup, and 4 T. heavy cream.  Meanwhile, saute apples with cinnamon until soft. Grease a pie pan with olive oil and dust with cornmeal.  Fill with the ricotta mixture and top with apples.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Heat 1/2 c. sugar until caramelized.  Remove from heat and add 1/4 c. heavy cream.  Drizzle caramel over tart.

Chicken Tortilla Soup!

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 c. chicken broth
15 oz. fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles
2 c. black beans
1 lb. chicken breast
1 t. cumin
1 t. black pepper
2 limes, juiced
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
4 tortillas, cut into strips
1 t. chili powder
1 avocado, diced

Saute onion in olive oil until soft.  Add jalapeno and garlic, and saute for a minute more.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes, black beans, chicken, and spices.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.  Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks.  Add chicken back to the pot, along with lime juice and cilantro, and simmer for a few more minutes.  Meanwhile, place tortilla strips on a greased sheet pan and coat with olive oil spray and chili powder.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp.  Serve soup garnished with tortilla strips, diced avocado, and a sprig of cilantro.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon!

1/4 c. shelled pistachios
fresh mint
fresh chives
fresh parsley
1 T. olive oil
1 t. black pepper
1 t. smoked salt
1 salmon fillet

Crush pistachios and herbs in a mortar and pestle.  Add olive oil and mash into a paste.  Spread pistachio paste over salmon and season with pepper and salt.  Bake on a greased sheet pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Served with sauteed broccolini.  

Molleux au Chocolat avec Caramel Sale! (Chocolate Lava Cake with Salted Caramel!)

 For Caramel Filling:
1/2 c. white sugar
150 ml heavy cream
1 t. salt

For the Cake:
150 g. dark chocolate
1/3 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. flour
6 eggs
cocoa powder for dusting

Coat the bottom of a saucepan with some of the sugar.  Turn on the heat, and as soon as it begins to caramelize, add more sugar.  Once the sugar is a dark amber color, add the heavy cream and turn off the heat.  Add the salt.  Pour the salted caramel in a small bowl and let cool.  In another saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter.  Combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Slightly whip the eggs before adding them to the chocolate mixture and stir vigorously.  Add the egg chocolate mix to the flour and sugar.  Mix well.  Coat 6 ramekins with butter.  Then add 1 t. of cocoa powder to each ramekin and coat entirely, tapping out excess.  Fill the ramekins 2/3 full with chocolate mixture and refrigerate for 45 minutes.  Once the batter is cold, put the caramel in a piping bag and pipe a dollop of caramel into the center of each chocolate-filled ramekin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Turn upside down on a plate and dig into the molten lava inside!

Another Pretty Cobb Salad!

1 large chicken breast, diced and broiled
2 eggs, hard boiled and diced
8 oz. diced ham, pan crisped
1 large tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
4 oz. roquefort cheese
romaine hearts, chopped
2 T. olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. dijon mustard
1 t. black pepper
1 t. smoked salt
1 T. chopped basil
1 T. chopped chives

Layer chicken, eggs, ham, tomato, avocado, and cheese over romaine lettuce.  Whisk oilve oil, vinegar, mustard, pepper,salt, basil and chives and drizzle over salad to dress.

Spinach Artichoke Dip!

1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 c. spinach, chopped
15 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped
8 oz. neufchatel cheese
1/2 c. shredded parmesean cheese
baguette

Saute onion and shallot in olive oil.  Add garlic and spinach and saute until wilted. Combine spinach mixture with artichokes and softened neufchatel cheese.  Spread in a glass dish and top with parmesean.  Broil for 10 minutes and serve with a baguette.

Chocolate Pie with Strawberries!

1 graham cracker crust
8 oz. silken tofu
1 T. cocoa powder
1 T. powdered sugar
4 oz. melted dark chocolate
1/2 strawberries, halved
1 sprig of mint

Puree tofu, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and melted dark chocolate in a food processor until smooth.  Pour into pie crust and top with strawberries.  Chill for an hour or more in the refrigerator and garnish with fresh mint.

Thai Chicken Salad!

1 lb. chicken breast tenders, chopped
1 T. Sriracha
 1/2 c. peanut sauce
1 t. black pepper
1 t. curry powder
5 c. shredded cabbage
1 orange, peeled and segmented
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 c, sliced almonds

Toss chopped chicken with Sriracha, 1 T. of peanut sauce, pepper, and curry.  Broil on a greased sheet pan for 10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes.  Let chicken cool and serve over cabbage, oranges, onions, and almonds.  Drizzle more peanut sauce to dress the salad.

Coconut Curry with Cabbage!

1 bunch kale, chopped
14 oz. tofu, drained and cubed
16 oz. frozen vegetables
1 T. curry powder
1 T. cumin
1 t. cayenne
8 oz. coconut milk
3 c. shredded cabbage
fresh basil leaves

Cook kale, tofu, vegetables, and spices in a slow cooker for 8 hours on low.  Stir in coconut milk and serve over shredded cabbage.  Garnish with fresh basil.